Forsaken
by Elijah Wolf
Summary: With the Lich King defeated, the death knight Koltira now must decide his future. With the atrocities he committed and his state of undeath however, can Koltira truly find a place among his people once again, or will he find a different future?


Koltira and his fellow death knight Thassarian stood before their leader at attention. In front of them was Darion Mograine, holding the runeblade Shadowmourne in his hands. They were in the main hall in Acherus on the lower floor with fellow death knights gathered in the circle around Darion who stood in the center. While they all knelt on one knee, Thassarian and Koltira stood facing Darion due to their seniority.

"My knights", Darion began. "When we were freed from the Lich King's grasp, we had but one goal and one desire: to destroy him. At the time it seemed an undertaking to which he hoped one day for but never could be certain whether it would come or not. Yet it has come and gone and the monster has been vanquished."

"Now that the Lich King is vanquished however, the purpose of the Knights of the Ebon Blade has now been fulfilled. Our crusade of justice and vengeance has been done, and so now the Ebon Blade shall be put to rest. Each of you was once members of the Alliance and the Horde, and now I ask that you once again return to them. Acherus shall forever be open for you to return to, but your destinies now lie with where you were pledged before the Scourge took your life away."

"I wish to tell you that it has been an honor for me to command each and every one of you. You have all shown dedication and perseverance which is more than be asked of any soldier. I salute to each and every one of you for the contributions you have done. Now however, it is time for you to leave." Standing tall, Darion finally cried, "You are all dismissed!"

With his speech finished, the death knights began to exit and move towards the rookery where the skeletal gryphons awaited to fly them down to the ground below. Koltira and Thassarian however did not move with them and stayed by Darion. When all the knights had left, Darion looked first to Thassarian and then to Koltira.

"That order is meant for both of you as well", Darion said. "It pains me to see my two best lieutenants leave, but you are champions of the Alliance and the Horde now. The pledge of the Ebon Blade is done."

"What will you do Highlord?" Thassarian asked.

"I am the Highlord of the Ebon Blade and Lord of Acherus", Darion stated. "I was once of Lordaeron and the Alliance, but now my whole entirety is the Ebon Blade. I shall remain here where I will be lord of this castle. My days are done for now, and I shall retire within these dark walls..." Darion's voice trailed off as the realization of so lonely and isolated an existence came to him, but then he was back to attention again.

"This is not the fate of you two however", Darion stated. "It is time that the two of you returned to your people. All I can say is for you to serve them as you have served me. Never forget who and what you are however: we are death knights of Acherus." With that final statement, Darion gave a dismissive wave of his hand for them to be gone.

Koltira and Thassarian turned and began to walk towards the rookery as the other death knights had done. It was quiet at first between the two of them as they both digested their situations. As they reached the ledge where the skeletal gryphons were however, they merely stopped and looked at each other. Looking into each other's glowing blue eyes, they knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Then Koltira said, "I think I should come with you to the Alliance."

"We already discussed this and you have already returned to the Horde", Thassarian said sternly.

"It is not the same as it is for you Thassarian", Koltira snapped. "You return to a kingdom of man which never faced a full invasion of the Scourge, one which has been mostly sheltered from the horror of the undead. Quel'thalas is different. I am returning to a land where every family has experienced some loss to the Scourge, some pain brought by Frostmourne. I can never find a place there."

Thassarian said nothing, since he had nothing to say to that. Even he knew that the feelings which the blood elves held for the undead were perhaps even more hateful than the people of Lordaeron or the Silver Hand. The Scourge had not just taken away their land and people: it had taken away their light of hope that was the Sunwell and plunged it into a dark age.

Still, he knew it was the right thing and had to try and convince Koltira. "You are no longer a death knight of the Scourge", Thassarian encouraged him. "The dreadful deeds we did under the control of the Lich King is something we can't be held accountable for, Koltira. It is the deeds that we did when we were free of the Lich King which truly matter. That is what your people will judge."

Koltira gave Thassarian a doubtful expression. "Do you really believe that Thassarian?" Koltira asked?

Thassarian gave a nod of his head. "I am sure of it Koltira."

* * *

><p>Koltira's deathcharger Bloodmist galloped forward with the death knight behind the reins. They emerged from the cave into the Noxious Glade and now were galloping south down the hill towards Light's Hope Chapel. Memories came to Koltira as Bloodmist charged forward, memories of the Battle of Light's Hope when he and the Knights of Acherus were still under the control of the Lich King and had been charging down the hill to slaughter each and every inhabitant of Light's Hope Chapel. Now however, Koltira sought to pass through it in order to reach the road that would first take him east than north to the pass into Quel'thalas.<p>

The chapel came into sight as well as walls which were being constructed around it. There wasn't much surprise to this since the undead were still in the Plaguelands. Koltira was easily spotted by the sentries who had been posted and they began to call out to one another. Koltira figured this would happen, since he was coming from the direction that the attack on Light's Hope had taken place. He steered Bloodmist towards the chapel, slowing down as he approached.

A trio of guards came walking up towards him in shining plate armour with swords and shields. A blonde-haired man stepped ahead of them and was the one to address him. "Please state your name, death knight", he said with authority. This amused Koltira since he knew he could easily destroy all three of them with little effort.

"I am Koltira Deathweaver, Knight of the Ebon Blade", Koltira answered. "I am travelling to Quel'thalas, my business my own."

"We were told to stop you if you came through", the lead guard told Koltira. "There was a bat which flew in earlier today with a message which was apparently meant for you. You're supposed to go see Georgia, our bat handler, for the message."

What message it could be, Koltira wondered to himself. Even stranger was who had known he was coming through this route? Still, the message had come and Koltira had to answer it. He gave a nod of his head to the guards and kicked Bloodmist into a trot. He saw the bat handler Georgia a small distance away, her undead appearance making it not hard to tell along with being beside the giant bats. She seemed to figure out who he was as he approached as she began walking over to him.

Koltira stopped Bloodmist in front of her as she gave a small nod. "You're the death knight Koltira Deathweaver?" she asked in a wispy voice, to which Koltira gave a nod of his head. "There was a message which came in from the Undercity earlier this morning. The Dark Lady Sylvanas Windrunner requests your presence at the Undercity as soon as possible."

Koltira did well to hide his surprise behind a stern and emotionless face. That at least made sense how the message made it to the right location: of course Sylvanas would know since she was much more careful on key information regarding the movement of Horde operatives, especially in the Plaguelands. Yet why did she request his presence? There was only one way to find out. While his return to Quel'thalas would be delayed, the Undercity did have portal to Silverymoon he could take. It could even save him some time.

"Then prepare a bat immediately for taking me to the Undercity", Koltira requested.

* * *

><p>The giant bat entered through the large sewer entrance and made its way through the winding tunnel until it emerged into the main part of the Undercity. Swooping through different holes, the bat finally landed into a small alcove on the second story of the main cavern. Koltira stepped off the bat and immediately asked the bat handler for directions to where the Dark Lady was, which he answered by giving directions to the Royal Quarter.<p>

Koltira strode past the other undead who moved past him. The Forsaken were different from the undead he had been among when he was a member of the Scourge as they were intelligent and free of will as he was. They spoke a language and did not just growl or grunt. Yet the haunted halls that were the Undercity with ditches and small rivers of some green liquid goo were not in any way comfortable or familiar compared to the dark, gothic structures of the Scourge.

Koltira passed through different tunnels and over a bridge of the strange green liquid until he finally found the entrance to the Royal Quarters. As he walked down a long curving tunnel, the questions which were in Koltira's mind came back to him as to what the devious Forsaken queen wanted with him. He had spoken with her very little during their time in Northrend and had done nothing to garner her attention that he could remember. It felt so strange to Koltira.

Finally Koltira arrived at the throne room, even though there wasn't actually a throne. In the middle of the room was a large circular upraised platform where Sylvanas stood. She wore her usual attire, always with the dark cloak's hood over her head and the bow and arrows in her hand and on her back. Koltira said nothing as she talked with an orc. When she finally seemed done, she turned around and finally saw him. Her lips curved up in a sick smile at him, and Koltira already felt on guard as soon as he saw that.

"Ah, it seems my guest has arrived", she said with a sly, mocking tone. "Captain Bragor, I must insist that you wait outside while I speak with him in private. They same goes to all in this room except for you Koltira." The orc seemed like he would protest, but a dangerous glance from Sylvanas seemed to quiet him and he left along with the rest of the Forsaken who departed. When they all left, the doorway sealed shut.

Sylvanas began to walk down to Koltira who had not moved. They both looked each other over as she approached, each one trying to discern the other one and try to understand what was in their mind. Sylvanas was quick to deduce Koltira however. "You're most likely wondering why it is that I requested that you come here", she said as matter-of-fact as she could.

Koltira gave her a curt nod, which made her smile once again. It wasn't in any way seductive, but still made him on edge. Continuing to circle around him, she continued. "With the Lich King now destroyed, you and I are in the same situation Koltira."

"And what situation would that be your highness?" Koltira said with an obvious lack of enthusiasm to find out.

"You may try to hide it Koltira, but we both know it", she said slyly. "We are both now trying to decide a future which we had dedicated to the Lich King's destruction. With that now accomplished, what is it that we do? Where do we take our lives and our destinies now?"

Sylvanas paused as if she had stopped on a thought. Then, "I know my future and the future of the Forsaken, but what of your future, Koltira Deathweaver?"

Koltira did not say anything at first, as he was not eager to share anything with Sylvanas. Ultimately he decided however that she probably already knew the answer. "I intend to return to my people in Quel'thalas", he stated.

Sylvanas was silent for a minute after that answer, and Koltira couldn't figure out what she was thinking. Then Sylvanas turned around and gave Koltira a hard stare right into his own eyes. "You know just as well as me that you will not be welcomed there Koltira", she said with a harsh tone. "You know that as soon as you were raised back from death that you would never be able to return to the life you once had, especially not to a life with the elves of Quel'thalas. I know because I knew that as well when I was raised by that monster Arthas."

This time Koltira was the one with a smirk. "Yet you were the one who vouched to bring them back into the Horde", he retorted. "For one who is no longer attached her previous life, you show much consideration for Quel'thalas."

"Do not ever think that I stopped caring about Quel'thalas!" she shouted. The reaction caught Koltira by surprise since he had never seen Sylvanas not in composure. "I never said that I did not care about them. I said that I knew I could never rejoin them. And you are fooling yourself if you think that you will ever truly be accepted by them again."

"So why did you request me?" Koltira asked with a hard edge to his tone.

Sylvanas now seemed to get her composure back as though she believed she was now on better terms. "I called you here to make you an offer, Koltira Deathweaver", she said. "You can return to Quel'thalas and be treated as a leper for crimes you were not accountable for, or you can come to realization of what you really are and join the Forsaken as my champion."

Koltira's gaze hardened on Sylvanas, who still had the smug smirk on her face. Then Koltira said, "You really believe that I would take this offer? To trade one dark home for another? You really are incredible, my lady."

Sylvanas only giggled at the remark. "You can try to escape it all you like Koltira", she said, "but you have walked the path of darkness and cannot return. You can fool yourself, but deep down you know that all the deeds you do will never redeem you of the atrocities you committed. It is the curse you will carry for the rest of your life."

As if on cue, the door opened once again. Before any of her attendants began to enter however, she moved close to Koltira and whispered into his ear so they couldn't hear. "Return to Silverymoon and see what you find. The offer is still open since I know you will truly discover what it is you are, Koltira Deathweaver."

* * *

><p>Koltira attracted many stares from Silverymoon's residents as he rode by on Bloodmist. Some seemed to have this fascination with him, looking at him as they would some strange and exotic animal that was on display. Some had glares that seemed to throw their hatred at him, while others seemed terrified of him.<p>

After three days of staying in Silverymoon, he was beginning to grow tired of them. Koltira knew that he would never be treated the same as he was when he had been among the living in Quel'thalas, but he had never prepared himself for this. He was a leper who gave each person a different reaction but the one which he yearned for the most: acceptance. Even the regent Lor'themar Theron had the same expression when he allowed Koltira to return. Perhaps Sylvanas was right...

Koltira gave a shake of his head as if to send that thought flying. She couldn't be right; it was her own twisted soul which had driven her from Quel'thalas, not her undeath. Koltira clung to that thought as Bloodmist walked through Farstrider Square. It was mostly unchanged except for one notable feature: the Blood Knight Headquarters. They had been the most hostile towards Koltira, seeing him as everything which they stood against. Unlike the Argent Crusade, they had not seen him fight against the Scourge: they saw him no better than the Scourge.

As Koltira moved towards the Royal Exchange, a blood knight mounted on a red and gold charger came from the entrance. Koltira had seen the black-haired paladin many times before. He usually made some comment as he passed by or would say something to another after he had passed him. It seemed like that was what would happen again; it did not.

The knight moved his charger in front of Koltira and Bloodmist, his eyes narrowed and a smirk on his face showing an obvious challenge to Koltira. Koltira's icy blue eyes met his fel green eyes, but neither said anything. Koltira tried to steer Bloodmist around, but the knight repositioned his charger every time to block him. Elves that were around turned to look at them as the two knights sized each other up.

Koltira was the first to say something. "Move out of my way."

The knight gave a derisive snort. "You think you have the right to be issuing me any commands, death knight?" he asked with obvious contempt in his voice. "I am Vranesh of the Blood Knights. I fear no demon or undead, and that includes yourself."

Koltira's eyes narrowed dangerously and Vranesh's head cocked back a bit as if it had been pushed by that stare. "You really think you are any better than me as a blood knight?" Koltira snarled.

Vranesh had a puzzled look on his face at first, but then tilted his head back and let out a mocking laugh. "Of course I am better as a blood knight", Vranesh stated. "I am a servant of the Light, banishing the darkness of evil. You are a death knight, a warrior of that darkness and of slaughter. You are one who has killed the innocent and helpless. Of course I am better than you, death knight."

The several onlookers seemed to gasp in shock at the boldness of the statement, but neither Koltira nor Vranesh paid them any head. Vranesh looked triumphant, but Koltira paid it no heed. "A champion of the Light?" Koltira questioned. "The Blood Knights were the ones who sapped the Light from the naaru and wielded it as their own. You tortured and mutilated it for your own gain of power. The difference between you and I, Vranesh, was that I was a monster because I had no choice against the Lich King's command; you chose the misdeeds you have committed. And yet you would dare to claim yourself the more righteous? You're hypocrisy is a joke to the Light."

That last comment was the last straw for Vranesh, and the blood knight's hand went down to the sword on his left hip. Koltira's hand moved even faster as he reached over his shoulder and grasped the hilt of his large runeblade Byfrost. Both had their blades drawn, Byfrost glowing a toxic green while Vranesh's blade bore a fiery aura. Before either one could make an attack however, a loud cry stopped the knights.

"That is enough, Vranesh!"

Both Koltira and Vranesh turned to see none other than Lady Liadrin. The blood knight matriarch stood in the entrance of the Blood Knight Headquarters with her full shining plate adorned and the tabard of the Blood Knights worn. Her red hair and emerald eyes seemed to have both Koltira and Vranesh locked in place by the power of her glare.

Liadrin walked over to the duo and turned to Vranesh. "You would dare to dishonor the Blood Knights by drawing your blade in Silverymoon without proper cause?" she reproached him with stern anger in his voice.

Vranesh seemed to find his voice to answer. "He was the one who dared to insult the honor of the Blood Knights", Vranesh challenged. "He least of all has the right to-"

"Don't try and lie your way out of this Vranesh!" Liadrin shouted. "I saw the exchange and your arrogance: you deserved what was said. Now leave!" Vranesh looked from Liadrin to Koltira for a moment, then turned his steed and once again was off towards the Royal Exchange.

Liadrin turned to give Koltira an apology, but she saw that the death knight was already riding away on his deathcharger.

* * *

><p>The Sunwell was truly an amazing sight for Koltira to behold, even if he suffered from it slightly like the heat of a great furnace due to the holy power of the Light which the Sunwell now gave off due to the naaru M'uru's spark. It had been tricky for Koltira to be able to come see it, since even being an elf he was undead and some worried about what that could do to the Sunwell. There were guards behind intently watching him to make sure nothing happened.<p>

Koltira had hoped that coming to see the Sunwell would somehow give him hope in his cause, yet the sting of the holy energies only did more to reinforce the hard truth which he was coming to realize. It was his fifth day in Silverymoon, and Koltira was seriously contemplating it being his last. As much as he didn't want to believe it, he couldn't deny that Sylvanas' words were starting to ring true in his ears.

"It truly is amazing, isn't it?" a quiet voice asked from behind. Koltira turned and saw that it was Liadrin, still in her armour and tabard as when he had seen her before with Vranesh. Koltira quickly looked back at the Sunwell, for some reason not wanting Liadrin to see his face.

Liadrin however seemed unfazed and walked up beside Koltira. "I wanted to apologize for Vranesh", she said modestly. "He is not as...experienced and is quick to judge, in particular due to his own arrogance which we Blood Knights had upon our creation." Koltira still did not answer her, but she waited patiently.

Finally, Koltira spoke. "You shouldn't bother yourself to come all the way out here just to give me an apology."

Liadrin smiled a little at that comment. "Oh, you are not the only thing which brings me here", she said a little condescending. Her eyes wandered to the Sunwell. "I come to see it many times, since every time I find a little hope for my order, my people and my nation. Our people and nation, I mean."

That comment brought a notable pain to Koltira's face. "No, Lady Liadrin", he said slowly. "Despite all that I would like to try and tell myself, this is no longer my home or my people. I walk through the streets and I see every look that I get. I have no family left, no home and none that accept me. I am a leper, a reminder of the dark times which befell Quel'thalas, when the kingdom was shattered and its glory trampled over by the march of the Scourge. Quel'thalas could never be my home once again."

"You are not the only one who is guilty of crimes."

The statement by Liadrin struck something deep within Koltira, since he felt that she truly did understand from the way she said it. He turned to her and saw Liadrin still looking out at the Sunwell. "While I know that M'uru chose his fate," she said, "I am still tortured on what I allowed to happen to him. I chose to take that power out of spite for what I felt had left me and I allowed M'uru to be tortured because of it. And as you said, we did it by our choice." Liadrin then turned to face Koltira. "Even then I believe that redemption is attainable by us. If we can find it, I am sure you can as well, Koltira Deathweaver."

Koltira looked away from Liadrin. He wanted to believe what she said with all his heart, but he knew that in the end it wasn't the same. He had killed his own people, whether by his volition or not, and that was a crime he knew that the people of Quel'thalas would never be able to forget. It was something which he himself would never be able to forget. There would never be anything he could to atone for it.

"Only time will tell whether there is truth to your words or not", Koltira said to Liadrin before he turned and left.

* * *

><p>Sylvanas was making sure that all preparations for her ride out to the Forsaken High Command in Silverpine Forest were finished. She had wrestled command of the attack on Gilneas from Garrosh and she was going to be sure that everything went according to plan. Now was the time for the Forsaken to come forth as the new masters of the ruined Lordaeron, and nothing would stop her in that pursuit.<p>

She was speaking with Bragor Bloodfist when suddenly the door to the Royal Quarter opened. Everyone looked, and a sly smile crossed Sylvanas's lips as she saw who it was. Walking towards her in his gaunt armour and runeblad across his back was none other than Koltira Deathweaver. His face was looking down as he strode towards where Sylvanas stood. He paid no heed to any other who looked at him as he passed them until he was finally before the Dark Lady.

Without any word, he dropped to one knee before Sylvanas with his head looking down at her feet. Then his right hand extended and removed Byfrost from his back which he then held up in presentation to her. "I, Koltira Deathweaver, Knight of the Ebon Blade, offer to you my services", Koltira recited as he looked up at Sylvanas.

Sylvanas did nothing to hide the smile as she took Byfrost from him with both hands and first tapped one shoulder than the other. "Rise, Koltira Deathweaver," she said, "rise now as my champion and finest death knight as well as Champion of the Forsaken."

* * *

><p>Days later, Sylvanas once again stood in the Royal Quarter as she waited for Koltira to arrive. She had been waiting for the right assignment to send her newest servant on in order to test him. Now the perfect opportunity had come up for him, something she had only recently decided as she had returned from Silverpine. The door opened and once again Koltira entered. He moved to Sylvanas where he gave her a bow and asked, "How may I serve you, my lady?"<p>

"I have my first assignment for you as a commander of the Forsaken", Sylvanas replied. Koltira looked at her for a second curiously. "As you know, the undead in the Plaguelands following the fall of the Lich King have now mostly subdued themselves. This is our chance now to truly begin reclaiming what is left of Lordaeron in the name of the Forsaken. Therefore, I am assigning you to travel through the Bulwark with a force in order to capture Andorhal for the Forsaken and for the Horde. Your forces have already been organized and await you to begin the journey. Now go."

Koltira gave a bow and turned to leave, but just before he left the door Sylvanas called for him to wait. "There is one more thing Koltira", Sylvanas said. "Our intelligence shows that the Alliance is making the same move, and it seems that the Alliance forces will be lead by Thassarian."

She let that statement hang for a second before she finally finished. "Remember what you are and where your loyalties lay, Koltira."

* * *

><p>It had been weeks following the Battle of Andorhal, and Sylvanas was on her way to the Apothecarium. She cursed herself for not doing this before the Battle of Andorhal, yet in a way she had wanted to see Koltira fail and confirm her suspicions. His truce with Thassarian only showed that he still did not fully understand what he had become, and she would be sure to do so for him to become the ultimate servant to her.<p>

The Apothecarium had many different rooms with different experiments in them. From the creation of the new plague to even more powerful abominations, the grotesque and disgusting parts and concoctions in the Apothecarium made it Sylvanas' least-liked part of the Undercity; she could not argue the role it played in the Forsaken's survival however and she allowed it to continue its work. She moved through different tunnels until she wound up at what appeared to be a dead end. Sylvanas knew better however and pressed on a specific brick, a secret latch which opened a secret door to which Sylvanas stepped inside.

Inside were tables with various torture implements and concoction and shelves with other grim assorted accessories for deeds of the darkest kind. There was an undead man in there, his lower jaw hanging while one of his eyes was gone. He looked away from his post for a second as Sylvanas walked in, but Sylvanas looked to the end of the room at his prisoner. Koltira was at the end of the room, wearing only a pair of breeches as he hung limply from two manacles which suspended him from the ceiling. Various cuts and burns were all over him on his arms, chest, back and face. He breathed very shallow and barely moved otherwise.

Sylvanas walked over to Koltira, who was conscious even though he was trying to fake it to find reprieve. She gave him a look of disgust as her boot came up and kicked Koltira in the stomach, making his head fly up with eyes wide as he grunted in pain. Sylvanas then began to walk around Koltira, judging him as he tried to regain his breath.

"When you came to me and offered your allegiance", Sylvanas stated, "I thought you had finally been able to understand. It seems I was mistaken." She continued to pace as Koltira sagged to his knees, his arms held straight up as he hung from them even though the shackles dug into his skin. "Thassarian betrayed and abandoned you, Koltira. Quel'thalas abandoned you, the Scourge abandoned you. You have been rejected and shunned. You know all of this Koltira, but you still thought you could escape it. Now, I will ask you this one more time." Sylvanas knelt down so her face was level with Koltira's and her red eyes look into his blue eyes. "What are you?"

Koltira did not say anything at first, and Sylvanas wondered if he would have to go through yet another session of torture before she received the response which she had been waiting to hear for weeks. To her delight however, Koltira answered. The answer was exactly what she had been waiting for and was the start of Koltira's rebirth as her dark vassal. It was him finally understanding what he had become.

"I...am...Forsaken..."


End file.
